Tuesday's Top Ten Plus Ten [Why I'm a Lister!]

I think it's time to explain why Melany and I write top tens every week...

I'm a lister. There. I said it. I have lists for everything: cleaning, packing, writing, shopping, meal planning, &etc. You might wonder "why?", well, I have a list for that...

1. It keeps me focused. If I don't have a daily to do list I'll start cleaning the kitchen (for example), find something that belongs in the office downstairs, go downstairs to put it away and find a project that needs working on down there. I'll start working on that project, find something that needs to go in  my daughter's bedroom, walk upstairs - through the kitchen - and realize "oh, crap!" I better finish this project. Put whatever's in my hand away, totally forgetting about the kitchen, as I begin cleaning my daughter's bedroom. It's never ending. If I have a list I know that I will get to this, tomorrow, but I'll get to it - forcing me to stay focused.

2. If I have a list, I have this burning, itching, desire to cross stuff off. The best part is that I can't cross it off until it's 100% completed and if there's uncrossed items, it drives me crazy. Lists force action. Perhaps that's a little OCD in me?

3. I have a terrible memory. If I don't write it down, I forget it. If it goes on my list, it'll get done (see #2).

4. Making a list is like setting goals. In teacher world goals are objectives, objectives are lists: things you want your students to accomplish in each lesson, unit, and grade level. I love creating objectives - what do I want my students to understand and when? I ask myself the same question while creating lists: what do I want to accomplish and when?

5. I'm a reader and a writer. My two favorite things. Making a list goes hand in hand.

6. Lists keep me organized. I know what I need to accomplish, when I need it accomplished. Otherwise I'm a chicken with my head cut off.

7. Accomplishments are off the charts. When I cross something off, a feeling of accomplishment overwhelms me. Inwardly I'm screaming, "YESSSSS!" (I may or may not yell it out loud occasionally) and it makes me that much more motivated to do the exact same thing on the item that follows: cross it off, feel accomplished, move on to item #3, 4, 5, 6, 7... 

8. Lists conserve. I don't waste food when I meal plan. I don't waste energy running around aimlessly (see #1).  I don't waste precious time (see #1). I simply do.not.waste.

9. Making lists brings out my creative juices. I have a weird obsession with notebooks, sticky notepads... well, paper in general. It's a blank slate, and I get all giddy making something out of nothing. 

10. Lists are motivating. (See #7) I feel challenged. When I'm challenged I have a high level of performance, when there's a high level of performance, there's success, when I see success, I am motivated. Pretty awesome chain of events.

Plus One: God's a Lister. 10 Commandments. 'Nuff Said. Top Tens are divine providence. (I'm totally kidding, of course. Ooooooor am I?!)

Thankfully, every Tuesday I have a new excuse to create a new list. It's a wonderful day of the week, Tuesday's are. (And yes, I put "Write Top Ten Blog" on my daily to do list. And yes, it's exhilarating when I cross it off and begin thinking of next week's topic.) Some people find lists overwhelming, so not everyone's a lister, but my friend Melany is and she's created a list of reasons why she's a lister too, don't forget to check it out! (Hehe, get it? "Check" it.) Now this task is on your list. Didn't know you had a list? Now you can experience the satisfaction of getting to tick (ahem, check) something off... like visiting Melany's list next...